Due to the rapid development of display technology for processing and displaying large amounts of information, a wide variety of display devices have been introduced.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) devices, Plasma Display Panel (PDP) devices, Field Emission Display (FED) devices, Electro Luminescence Display (ELD) devices and the like have been developed as examples of the display devices. These display devices have evolved, seeking thinness, a light weight and low-power consumption. However, the above-mentioned display devices may have limitations in implementing the thinness, the light weight and flexibility, since the display devices use a glass substrate to withstand the high heat generated during the manufacturing process.
In recent years, therefore, as next-generation flat display devices, flexible display devices have emerged and are manufactured to maintain display performance even though the display devices are bent, like paper may be bent, as the display devices use a bendable flexible material like plastic film, instead of inflexible glass substrate. As for these flexible display devices, users may bend or roll the display devices, while carrying the devices with and/or upon themselves, since the flexible display devices are not only thinner and lighter, but also impact-resistant and bendable. In addition, since the flexible display devices may be manufactured in a variety of shapes or forms, their utilization may be expanded in the future.
Mass production of the flexible display devices may occur as the flexible display technology has undergone field tests. Flexible devices based on the flexible display are expected to provide a new type of input/output interface different from that of related art electronic devices having a rigid display, making it possible to provide new user experiences.
Many related art flexible display-related technologies have proposed methods of detecting a change in a shape of devices to change contents displayed on a display or to change tactile, haptic, and acoustic feedbacks.
For example, the proposed methods may include a method of detecting bending of a flexible display to execute a function linked to a graphic object existing in a position where a bending line is formed, and a method of linking strain of a flexible display to a computer's control command to control a speed of flipping pages displayed on the screen depending on a degree of bending.
In addition to these technologies, many studies have been conducted on various application technologies for detecting bending of flexible devices, to switch an execution mode, change a User Interface (UI) structure, adjust a scrolling speed, and/or execute an associated menu depending on the change in shape of the flexible devices.
However, these related-art technologies present no specific methods capable of effectively detecting a change in shape by actually using various sensors, although the related-art technologies have proposed ways to detect a change in shape using sensors mounted on a flexible device, e.g., a flexible display.
In addition, in order to detect bending of a flexible device and to apply detection information in a variety of ways, there is a need to detect bending of the flexible device and also to detect a more accurate and precise position and degree of the bending. However, there is a limit to accurately and precisely detecting the bending, because various components are mounted in a flexible device, the flexible device needs to provide functions of a display by itself, and each flexible device is different in terms of the device thickness and the bending strength.
Therefore, there is a need for a method capable of more accurately and precisely detecting a change in a shape of a flexible device depending on strain corresponding to the flexible device if the flexible device undergoes strain.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.